The Last Straw
by Genesis Development
Summary: What if the Dursleys had decided to treat Harry "properly?" If Aunt Petunia had decided to tell him about the truth about his parents how would the story have changed? What will Dumbledore do if Harry decides that he's had the last straw with the Wizarding World all-together? Slytherin Harry! Weasley Bashing! Dumbles Bashing!
1. The Last Straw

The Last Straw

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of J.K. Rowlings works. If I did, I wouldn't be writing on fanfiction.

Ch. 1 – The Boy

As far as Harry Potter was concerned, he was nothing but your average 10 year old boy. Harry had been raised to be as normal as ever thank you very much, and he was grateful to his Aunt and Uncle for doing so. Still, Harry knew that every now and again he did strange things. Normally Aunt Petunia just offered Harry another type of treat, told him everything was fine, and switched schools.

When he was 10 years old, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon told Harry that his parents had been crazy people who believed in this thing called magic and pretended to go to school in a place called Hogwarts. Aunt Petunia had also told Harry how the "headmaster" had refused to let her go to school with her sister even though she'd sent him many letters.

"It wasn't fair Harry-kins. Your mother was with that nasty Snape boy, and I wanted to make sure that she was safe. At school all year, and coming back home with tricks I didn't understand. It isn't possible for people like me or your cousin Dudley to learn magic. How are we supposed to protect ourselves? That "Headmaster Dumbledore" told me she was perfectly safe. Instead some dark wizard blows up both your parents, and that's how you came to live with us. Dumbledore is the one who just dropped you on our doorstep. What if we'd given you to some orphanage? What would he have done then? Now, have another cookie Harry." Aunt Petunia offered Harry a plate of almond cookies.

Harry happily took one and walked into the living room to go blow up aliens with his cousin Dudley. For whatever reason, even though Harry ate nearly as much as Dudley he just didn't gain weight like Dudley did. Aunt Petunia called it a "fast metabolism." Uncle Vernon said Dudley was just big-boned. All Harry knew was that his cousin was going to have a tough time if he couldn't fit into his school uniforms.

"Now, see here son if that crackpot old fool ever comes around here again and tries to take you away, don't trust him see?" Uncle Vernon advised.

"Will do Uncle Vernon." Harry nodded his head.

"I think there was a Wizarding bank in your parent's world. As I understand it your father's family was very wealthy. I wonder what happened to all that gold?" Aunt Petunia asked.

"We should have it shouldn't we dad? Then you wouldn't have to work anymore!" Dudley said.

"Don't trust em Harry, that's what I say. Get whatever you can out of your father's family and get out." Uncle Vernon grunted.

"Before you get blown up to." Dudley hit Harry on the shoulder.

"Ow! I'm not letting you live in my mansion!" Harry sneared and hit him back.

"Do you think Harry's parents had a mansion somewhere? That would be cool wouldn't it Harry? We could all live in a mansion couldn't we dad?" Dudley asked in a rare moment of enthusiasm. Harry knew Dudley was excited about the idea of living in a mansion because a lot of his video games had mansions in them.

"Do you know if my dad had a mansion Aunt Petunia?" Harry asked.

"Don't know boy, he might have. I know he had enough to easily buy a house for you and your mum without having to work. The house has probably been destroyed by now I'd guess." Aunt Petunia stopped speaking and stared out the window.

"Why can't I do magic dad?" Dudley asked.

"Because you're normal cousin." Harry grinned as Dudley hit him on the shoulder.

"Normal's boring." Dudley grinned back. Dudley was being nice today since at Dudley's birthday on their trip to the zoo Harry had made the snake move and entertained Dudley for about half an hour before he'd gotten bored again.

Harry had been relieved to have explanations for some of the weird things that happened around him. His cousin Dudley had helped to try and learn how to control his "magic" through research using video games. Harry had tried jumping into magic circles that didn't go anywhere, and "concentrating." Dudley really wanted Harry to just blow things up.

"Aunt Petunia who was that "Snape" boy you're always talking about?" Harry asked.

"Snape, was from a very bad family, his mother was loony and his father was a drunk. I didn't trust him around Lily. He was a wizard though, he called me a "muggle" I think it was meant to be insulting. He went to that blasted school just like your mom. I think he had some sick crush on her or something. Don't know what happened to him." Aunt Petunia.

"I'll get them Aunt Petunia if I ever go to that school, I'll get back at them for you." Harry tried.

"Good boy, now go to school with your cousin. You're lucky he stops people from bullying you by bullying them first. Really, I wish you'd try to be a little less smart sometimes." Aunt Petunia gave him a half-stern look.

"Good job Dudley, keep the riff-raff under control!" Uncle Vernon slapped Dudley on his back.

Harry shouldn't have been surprised when he found a letter on the doorstep being delivered by an owl.


	2. Letters and Money

Ch. 2

Ok, first let me explain a few things. Harry and Dudley are a bit closer than they would normally be because Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon raised Harry almost on equal terms. Harry might be a little OOC for a 10 year old, but that's due to Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon treating him fairly, and Dudley being nicer so that when he went to school Harry could learn as much as he liked. Also I think that Aunt Petunia would have contacted Dumbledore to explain about the letter because he's still pretty much the only person she knows in the magical world. Additionally, Dumbledore did want to ensure Harry's safety (not that he isn't a manipulative old coot) so I think that if the Dursley's had been nice to him he may not have cared _too_ much.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of J.K. Rowlings works.

"Aunt Petunia! Uncle Vernon!" Harry grabbed the letter in front of the owl and raced back inside placing it on the table.

"Are they spying on us?" Harry asked with a death glare in the direction of the bewildered looking owl.

"Shoo!" Uncle Vernon swung his suitcase at the bird who fixed him with a steely glare.

"They have ways of spying but it can't be a coincidence that they sent this when it's getting close to the end of the semester and you turn 11 this year. That's when Lily got her letter. My parents were so proud! They didn't even wonder about whether it was safe to send their daughter to a school full of magic or not!" Aunt Petunia also sneered at the owl.

" Shoo!" Uncle Vernon continued swinging his suitcase at the bird.

"Alright. Go to school, and we'll all read it when you and Dudley get back ok?" Aunt Petunia patted Harry on the back, and Harry nodded feeling miserable for some reason.

Harry wasn't even happy when Piers Polkiss showed up and started talking about for once he was going to beat Harry's highest test score in science. Dudley may have been good at playing video games, but Harry aced all his tests in school. Harry was only 10 but his professors treated him like some sort of prodigy. While Harry may have ignored it, the rest of the school didn't. Dudley's gang beat up the people who tried to pick on Harry. In return Harry made sure that Dudley did well in school by "helping" him with his essays. The professors always looked the other way. It was a win-win situation. Piers didn't need help since he honestly wanted to try and beat Harry. Piers was skinny and while he was good at holding people down if anyone rounded on him he was done for. So he had decided it was probably best to do well in school as a fall-back option.

"What was all that about cousin? And why won't that owl leave my dad's car alone?" Dudley asked when they reached class.

"Stupid letter showed up from the crazy people. Apparently they live in the middle ages and deliver their mail with owls instead of pigeons." Harry groaned.

"Owls? Pigeons?" Dudley looked confused.

"Strange coincidence right? I think I'm being tracked. Aunt Petunia said we'd read the letter together when we get back. It's the last day of the term, so let's not think about it ok?" Harry asked. Dudley shrugged and went back to drawing doodles in his notebook.

"Maybe they can't use computers." Dudley suggested when they got out of class.

"Then how am I being tracked?" Harry asked.

"It's magic Harry! The owls are magic owls Harry!" Dudley laughed as Harry hit him on the shoulder.

"They may be magic but they still poo on cars." Harry wrinkled his nose at the school lunch.

It was a good thing Aunt Petunia packed Harry and Dudley's lunches. Even if Harry saved up his extra pocket money (instead of spending it on mars bars for him and Dudley while they played video games) he still wouldn't have wanted to spend it on what they served at school. Wobbly french fries, watery coleslaw, and pieces of fried fish that looked like deflated yellow balloons.

"Poor sods who don't have my mom's cooking." Dudley shook his head.

"Mars bar?" Harry offered waving an extra chocolate bar in his face. Dudley glared at him.

"Why?" Dudley had gotten a bit wiser over the years of living with Harry. If Harry offered him something from his stash of candy it usually meant he wanted Dudley to "help" with chores. Vice versa if Dudley bought a new video game and wanted Harry to "help" him with more homework than usual, Dudley might let him play it first.

"It's the last day of school cousin. I'm not going to blackmail you." Harry shrugged and tossed Dudley the bar.

"I thought we could celebrate it." Harry smirked.

"Cheers!" Dudley said as Piers and a few other people from Dudley's gang joined them for lunch.

The day flew by fast and before Harry or Dudley knew it they were already back at home.

"Mom? Dad? We're home!" Dudley shouted as him and Harry walked through the door. Aunt Petunia greeted the both of them looking rather nervous.

"Harry-kins? Would you mind trying to flatten your hair a bit? They've sent someone to explain the letter. You can listen in if you want Diddums. Your father's in their now." Aunt Petunia added.

Dudley grimaced as his mom still used her "baby" terms with both of them.

"Uncle Vernon usually works late doesn't he?" Harry asked.

"Came home early," Aunt Petunia said with a strained smile.

"Whose in there? Are they weird?" Harry asked taking a step back.

"Do they have a pigeon?" Dudley asked as both Harry and Aunt Petunia looked at him weirdly.

"Just behave yourselves both of you. I wrote a letter requesting for someone to come and explain why yours had arrived. That's what they did with my sister you see. I thought it would be better to have one of _them_ try and make sense of it." Harry noticed that Aunt Petunia looked extremely exhausted by all this.

He felt guilty. If his parents had just been _normal_ he wouldn't have to put this much stress on his Aunt and Uncle. Even though he was only 10 he'd been good enough at math to understand that Uncle Vernon didn't make a whole ton of money at Grunnings. Aunt Petunia had explained how Uncle Vernon did the best that he could, and that it was their job to help make sure that the home was a nice place to come home to. Harry realized that by keeping him Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon really were losing money. This of course made him hate "Headmaster Dumbledore" even more.

"Harry, how nice to meet you!" Harry glared at the old man with the beard and the twinkly blue eyes. He _did_ have a wizard's hat, and Harry was reminded of the teachers at his school. They treated him with some kind of reverence because he was a prodigy.

"Welcome home boys," Uncle Vernon grunted as he sank across the couch looking exhausted like Aunt Petunia.

"Aren't you going to say the same to my cousin? This is your first time meeting him to." Harry glared at Dumbledore.

"Ah, yes nice to meet you Dudley, nice to meet you!" The older wizard exclaimed.

Harry noticed that this old man clearly didn't care about anyone in the room except for him. Aunt Petunia shot Harry a look that clearly said "behave."

"Yes, nice to meet you Dudley Vernon. Now, I am here regarding the business of Mr. Potters school letter. Now Harry my boy, did your Aunt and Uncle explain to you what your parents were?" the old man looked rather uncomfortable.

"Yes. They were a witch and wizard and went to a school called Hogwarts. I'm sorry but who are you?" Harry felt uncomfortable with this man addressing him as his "boy." Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon called him that sometimes, but the way that this man said it made Harry feel like he was some kind of dog.

"My name is Albus Dumbledore and I am the Headmaster of the Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Harry suddenly began to grin. No wonder Aunt Petunia had looked exhausted. She had to have the man who practically killed her sister in her living room!

"Oh Mr. D-Dumbledore…sir! I'm so sorry, I've never met someone from my parents world." Harry instantly changed his attitude, and noticed how Dumbledore's eyes narrowed at him. Still, Dumbledore grinned and pretended like Harry was some kind of unruly grandchild.

"Quite alright my boy, quite alright. Now, I did come here to explain Harry's letter. Harry you do know that you are a wizard correct?" Dumbledore asked patiently glancing at a worried-looking Aunt Petunia.

"Yes, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon told me when I was 8." Harry answered.

"So you followed the instructions in the letter that I left with him?" Dumbledore looked at Aunt Petunia. Harry noticed that he looked surprised like he hadn't expected her to do so. Aunt Petunia just jerked her head to the side looking uncomfortable.

"We could have sent him to an orphanage! Do not put my wife on trial in her own house for doing the right thing!" Uncle Vernon shouted.

"I was merely trying to observe what I had to deal with." Dumbledore tried defending himself.

"Er…Headmaster Dumbledore sir. Were my parents really killed by a dark Wizard?" Harry asked next. He had decided to turn on the "defensless kid" act for all it was worth. Dudley used it when he didn't want to get in trouble. Harry decided it was useful. He was not going to trust this Dumbledore person.

"Yes Harry…I was close friends with your parents. I'm sorry to say that they were indeed killed by an evil wizard. Though most people in our world prefer to not speak his name, I have always thought that fear of a name was a ridiculous thing. His name was Voldemort." Dumbledore finished with a dark glance at Harry.

"So, if you were close friends with my parents…then you must know how wealthy my dad was right?" Harry asked throwing Dumbledore for a loop.


	3. Questions and Answers

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of JK Rowlings works

P.S: I update when I have time to, there's not really a set schedule. If you'd like updates for chapters and life stuff my twitter info is in my profile page.

Ch. 3 – Questions and Answers

Dumbledore stared at Harry for a few minutes unsure of what he had just heard. Why was Harry asking about money? Why was Harry asking about anything?

"Why are you asking me about money Harry?" Dumbledore folded his hands under his chin.

"Well if we could all live in a better house then Uncle Vernon wouldn't have to work so hard." Harry said as Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia both smiled at each other.

"Certainly your parents have money in store. That was going to be one of the things I talked to you about anyways regarding money for school." Dumbledore handed Harry a small key.

"Why do I need a key if Wizard's have a bank?" Harry asked.

"Wizards can't use technology because the magic interferes with the electrical waves." Dumbledore stared at Harry like he was expecting something to spring from him.

"There's another vault that your parents have, that key is just for your school funds, but I don't know how you're supposed to get into your family vault. The goblins are very secretive you see." Dumbledore admitted.

"See Dad? We don't have to worry about money!" Dudley said excitedly. Uncle Vernon grunted.

"Calm down dear we don't know about that for sure. Professor Dumbledore will we be allowed to live in the Wizarding World now?" Aunt Petunia glanced at Dumbledore's wand that he was holding in a casual manner.

"Yes, I don't see why not. As long as Harry continues to choose to call you family, and wherever all three of you live, home." Dumbledore pointed out.

"Why is that important sir?" Harry asked.

"Never mind Harry, never mind." Dumbledore glanced at his watch.

"This Voldemort person you mentioned before. Is he after me to?" Harry asked

"Yes, much of the wizarding world still believe that he's dead, I think he's still out there lurking. I think he's biding his time until he can come back to full strength to kill you for good." Dumbledore nodded gravely.

"How are we to find all these school supplies? I don't want to drive around England for days trying to locate any of this. Is there an online catalog or?" Uncle Vernon spoke as he was looking through the school list.

"Ah, next order of business I see. Diagon Alley. You get to it through a back wall in the Leaky Cauldron. It can't be seen by non-magical folk. I'll have Minerva McGonagall take you on a tour of it all." Dumbledore smiled.

"One more thing Harry," Dumbledore took out his wand and Harry watched Dumbledore turn one of Aunt Petunia's goldfish into a flower.

"Just in case you don't believe me," Dumbledore grinned at Harry and Dudley's shocked expressions. Harry hadn't quite wanted to believe Dumbledore even though everything seemed too good to be true.

"My sister used to do that trick." Aunt Petunia reassured the boys.

"Yes, your mother and father were very fond of transfiguration. I suspect that your mother was better at it than your father in fact." Dumbledore mentioned.

"U-um professor Dumbledore can most wizards talk to animals?" Harry blinked up at the old man.

"What kind of animals Harry?" Dumbledore folded his arms and narrowed his eyes.

"Snakes." Harry admitted.

"Harry you are what is known as a Parselmouth. The ability to talk to snakes is generally considered a very dark trait in the wizarding world. Not to say that this true for all wizards, but most wizards, and particularly Voldemort being the most recently well-known Parselmouth used that skill to frighten, even to kill. I would suggest that you keep that trait to yourself for your own safety." Dumbledore warned.

"Is it bad?" Harry wondered.

"Not in my opinion. Any skill that could be considered bad can always be used for the greater good. If it's used wisely." Dumbledore tipped his wizard's hat as he stood up and headed for the door.

"Will you be leaving Mr. Dumbledore?" Uncle Vernon looked hopeful.

"Yes, I'll have Hagrid call on all of you the week before the 1st of September to get Harry's school things. If there's any more information you require I'll send you one of the school owls on a loan until Harry can pick one up if he chooses." Dumbledore pursed his lips together. Harry felt pleased that Dumbledore's visit did not go as he expected.

Once Dumbledore had left, the Dursley's (and Harry) all visibly relaxed now that the man responsible for Lily's death had vanished.

"How do we get the goldfish back?" Dudley asked as he stared at the flower petal in the tank.

"Oh, the magic should just wear off in half an hour or so." Aunt Petunia waved it away.

"I guess Harry will be going to Hogwarts, to learn _magic._ " Uncle Vernon grimaced like he still thought the whole thing was a bad idea. Why risk going to a dangerous new world with a known madman hunting you, when Harry got perfectly good, if not stellar grades in their world? Harry could just study some more and use the money to fund his education. The way Dumbledroe had presented it though, it seemed to be a sort of "inheritance and magic school" or nothing decision.

"Hey Mum, if Harry's going to Hogwarts where will I go?" Dudley asked.

"That is a good question Vernon, I think since we can afford it we should send Dudley to Smelting's. It's the most logical choice, so if Aunt Marge asks where Harry goes to school we'll just tell her he's going to school in America or something." Aunt Petunia planned out.

"Not a bad plan. That's where I went to school Dudley. You'll be just like your dad." Uncle Vernon grunted.

"Won't Aunt Marge also wonder where we've gotten our new influx of money?" Harry wondered.

"We can just tell her that Vernon got a promotion at work. I don't think you should quit your job either dear. I don't know how much wizarding taxes affect muggle taxes and so forth." Aunt Petunia sat down on the couch next to Uncle Vernon.

"Harry could you make some tea? I think we could all use it after that." Aunt Petunia nodded. Uncle Vernon also nodded his head in encouragement and Dudley volunteered to help Harry with the tea. Despite not having the best grades Dudley was better at making tea than Harry was. Harry sometimes made the tea bitter cause he boiled the water too much or added too much sugar.


	4. Be Prepared For Magic

Ch. 4 – Be Prepared for Magic

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Disclaimer: I do not own any of JK Rowling's works.

At number 36 privet drive summer came and went. Chores were done and Video games were played, and Harry Potter was nervous about going to Hogwarts. He didn't know anything at all about the Wizarding world. As the season went on he was losing time that could be used to study up on subjects for school.

"What does that Dumbledore think he's playing at?" Harry wondered as he paced around the living room. It was 3 weeks before the start of the term. Dudley already had his Smelting's stick, and his uniform.

"I'm sure I don't know Harry dear." Aunt Petunia silently agreed with her nephew that this was cutting things a bit close. Aunt Petunia had already told Harry what she knew about the Wizarding world, and it hadn't been much.

"Now, all things considered he will still be your headmaster when you go to school, and you will have to call him Sir or professor." Aunt Petunia told Harry.

"What if I make a fool of myself? I'll make enemies! I'll say something stupid and then someone will hate me I just know it!" Harry panicked as a vase went flying across the room.

"As long as you learn the spell for repairing broken items, I don't know!" Aunt Petunia snapped at Harry. It wasn't very often that it happened, but it did happen.

"Sorry Aunt Petunia…" Harry apologized.

"Go help Dudley mow the lawn." Aunt Petunia suggested.

"So I can blow up the lawn mower?" Harry grinned.

"Harry." Aunt Petunia glared at him.

"You could go and talk to Mrs. Figg, she always likes having your help with the cats. It is weird that those cats are so fond of you though, they just ignore everyone else."

"I'm going, I'm going. Aunt Petunia there isn't anyone else around here that's a wizard that I could talk to is there?" Harry asked.

"I don't know Harry. Mrs. Figg isn't really a wizard. Not that I would have ever guessed that she was part of your parent's world in the first place. There just may not be that many wizards or witches in little whinging." Aunt Petunia had already told Harry about Arabella Figg, but Mrs. Figg hadn't been able to help Harry when it came to his accidental magic at all. She was a squib and squibs just didn't have magic. She also got jittery when Harry had started asking her questions about Dumbledore. She did spoil Harry absolutely rotten though. Mrs. Figg had so much money saved up that she could buy anything she wanted from Diagon Alley. She'd already bought Harry several "magical" presents for his birthday including a really magnificent school trunk.

"Aunt Petunia when is Uncle Vernon going to be home? I'll make dinner if you like." Harry offered.

With the stress of a whole new world that the Dursleys had to deal with Harry had promised to help out more than he normally would. His teachers at the school that treated him like a prodigy had actually showed up at home and tried to drag Harry back by force. Harry would have been tempted to, but the thought of seeing his parent's world was impossible to ignore. Even if his Parents were just crazy and Dumbledore threw him in some dungeon and locked him away for the rest of his life…at least he'd be able to understand why they'd died.

"Vernon should be home around 6 so that's fine if you want to make dinner." Aunt Petunia waved at him as Harry grabbed a glass of lemonade to give to Dudley before walking out the door.

" Oh do you want Treacle Tart for your birthday next week Harry?" Aunt Petunia asked.

"Yes please Aunt Petunia!" Harry smiled.

"Hey cousin! How's mowing?" Harry asked as he handed Dudley the glass of lemonade.

"It's stuck, that's what's happening." Dudley groaned as he threw himself in the messy grass.

"Hammer?" Harry suggested,

"Tried it." Dudley answered.

"Drill?" Harry thought next.

"Tried that to." Dudley answered.

"Should I look and see how it's clogged up before I go to Mrs. Figg's for tea?" Harry bent down towards the lawn mower and saw that there was just one long strand of grass that had been jammed in exactly the wrong way.

"You're going to Mrs. Figg's? Is Aunt Marge visiting?" Dudley looked around in panic.

"No, I've got more questions." Harry shrugged.

"If she hasn't answered them by now I doubt it's going to change. I bet Dumbledore told her not to answer them." Dudley drained the glass of lemonade.

"Probably, who knows? At least her cats like me, I think Mr. Snowball and Ms. Fluffy were having kittens, and kittens are cute. Did you know that Mrs. Figg supplies one of the shops in Diagon Alley? Magical Menagerie I think it's called." Harry laughed at Dudley's confused face. Dudley didn't care for Mrs. Figg's kittens.

"Alright don't try and bring any kittens back, you know that Aunt Petunia doesn't like pets." Dudley warned Harry.

"I know, but if I get a mansion out of going to school then I can have all the pets I want can't I?" Harry smirked as Dudley threw a chunk of grass at him.

"Keep making mansion jokes, and I won't ever want to live with you." Dudley smirked.

"Like you'll have a choice. It's not like there's a career in playing video games or anything." Harry grinned.

"Actually there is but you have to be really good and the computers for them are expensive." Dudley shrugged.

"I don't believe Dumbledore about the stuff with electricity by the way." Harry told Dudley.

"Why not? Makes sense to me." Dudley shrugged.

"Yeah, but it can't be true for people like me can it? I mean I've always been able to use computers and video games. Is it a collective thing like when there are tons of Wizards around that electronics don't work?" Harry wondered.

"One of the questions you're going to ask Mrs. Figg next?" Dudley wondered.

"You bet." Harry waved at Dudley as he walked off to Mrs. Figg's house. It's too bad that Harry wasn't prepared for his next encounter with someone who had magic.


	5. Meeting People

Ch. 5- Meeting People

A/N: I'm sorry for the long overdue update, and the bad grammar. I'm trying my best, but grammar is tricky. It shouldn't be tricky for a 21 year old english major and book nerd, but uh...there you have it. :/

Disclaimer: I do not own any of JK Rowlings work.

On his way to Mrs. Figg's house Harry thought through part of his meeting with Dumbledore. Harry had told Dumbledore that Aunt Petunia had told him that he was a wizard when he was 8. On impulse, Harry had said that to protect his Aunt and Uncle he'd gotten the feeling that if he told Dumbledore he'd found out only a day before he showed up that it wouldn't have gone well. Dumbledore seemed to expect nothing but the worst out of Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon.

Harry also remembered Dumbledore promising to send someone named Hagrid to meet with him before September 1st and then someone named Minerva McGonagall to show him around Diagon Alley. Truthfully, Harry was excited to meet real witches and wizards. People who hadn't been reseponsible for killing his parents that was. Harry blamed Dumbledore just as much as he blamed Voldemort. Whatever Dumbledore's fixation with making sure that Harry called life with the Dursley's home was also strange. As was the fact that after Harry told him he was a Parselmouth Harry had found out that Voldemort was a Parselmouth. Very odd connection right there. Harry started to think about how Wizarding families worked.

Mrs. Figg's house was just down the street from the Dursley house. Harry hadn't even finished his immaculate thought process by the time he rang the doorbell.

"Mrs. Figg?" Harry checked politely when he heard lots of moving around and meowing.

"It's alright Harry just let yourself in. Don't let the cats out!" Mrs. Figg warned him like she always did.

Harry liked Mrs. Figg's house. Minus all the cat hair, the overstuffed sofas, the smell of mildew that leeched from the slender walls, the stale chocolate cake of which there seemed to be an abundance of since no one ate it, and the pink crystal dishes that screamed they were from the 1920's era. Ok, Harry took it back...he didn't really like Mrs. Figg's house. The TV she had on was playing a show about a contest for purebred cats. He did like Mrs. Figg though (sort of, and in the only way you can like a crazy cat lady that acts like an aunt), and she liked him. Harry remembered all the presents that Aunt Petunia had to hide in the cupboard under the stairs before his birthday. A good number were from Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and even Dudley, but Mrs. Figg had outdone herself by buying Harry a really magnificent school trunk that Harry couldn't wait to use.

"Ok, Mrs. Figg I had some questions about...did you get a new cat?" Harry noticed a new tabby cat sitting stiffly on Mrs. Figg's coffee table. He'd never seen a cat sit so stiffly before. The cat just looked back at him like it was extremely interested. Harry was uncomfortably reminded of the look that cats usually give mice before they jump on their prey.

"Oh no Harry, that's...hmm..." Mrs. Figg tilted her head and just smiled as the cat miraculously jumped from the coffee table and turned into a stern looking woman. Harry just about fell down from shock.

"Well you were right Arabella, the boy's certainly observant." The lady chuckled.

"I-I-I'm sorry but are you a witch?" Harry asked, taking particular notice of the tall black hat.

"Yes indeed, I'm Minerva McGonagall. Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I'm also the Head of Gryffindor House, and I teach the art of Transfiguration." McGonagall stared Harry down. After Dumbledore had come back from the Dursley's he'd talked to Minerva about Harry having an interest in Money. McGonagall remembered how horrible the Dursleys seemed when she first saw them and insisted on coming to see the boy for herself. Dumbledore had still wanted Hagrid to go but luckily (or perhaps unluckily in Hagrids case) Hagrid had managed to set his house on fire after getting drunk (not for the first time) and sustained some minor injuries.

After talking to Arabella, McGonagall realized that Harry should perhaps be observed with caution. It was just as well that Harry seemed to be observing her with caution. Undoubtedly the boy was clever, much like another student she recently visited. But unlike that student Harry seemed to have a mistrust of Adults in general. People who were like close family being the exception.

"Transfiguration? So I could learn to cahnge into an animal?" Harry asked in awe.

"Yes, but it's a lot of work. Although if what Arabella told me about your school is true that may not be a problem for you." Minerva chuckled.

"I thought I was supposed to meet someone named Hagrid before I met you?" Harry asked narrowing his eyes.

"Well, Hagrid had an unfortunate accident and while Dumbledore trusts him he clearly wasn't right for this job." Minerva looked down at Harry through her spectacles. Harry thought that professor McGonagall reminded him of his math teacher, professor Taylor. She was the strict but fair type and had never given Harry any special preference. Harry took a liking to professor McGonagall. Besides, cat's were awesome and how many peopel could say that they had a professor who turned into a cat?

"Why do you say that?" Harry asked her as he stood up and brushed off the cat hair that had already started settling on his legs. Right on que Mrs. Figg's other cats entered the room and gravitated towards Harry. There was a thing McGonagall thought was interesting. Normally cats were a bit slow to trust when it came to humans. Still she'd trust a cat's intuition over a dog any day. If they all liked Harry the boy couldn't have turned out too badly could he?

"Because I can tell you're smart. While Hagrid may be kind hewas never the um...brightest bulb...in the closet." McGonagall coughed into her hand a few times as she sat down in one of Mrs. Figg's chairs.

"Now Harry, did you have a reason for visiting me?" Mrs. Figg asked as she poured out tea into a few pink wedgewood tea cups.

"Oh, I was going to ask you questions about magic but since professor McGonagall is here..." Harry looked hopefully at Professor McGonagall who looked at him strangely what was up this boys sleeve?

What was up Harry's sleeve is that he wondered that if he could talk to snakes could he talk to other animals to? Were there other wizards who could talk to animals besides snakes and if there were were they considered dark or dangerous? How come it was only snakes that were bad? The snake at the zoo hadn't been mean to Harry, in fact it had said "Thank you" when Harry let the snake loose when Uncle Vernon, and Dudley weren't looking after Dudley had gotten bored with the snake entertaining him. He was also still curious about the electricity thing. Did there have to be more than one wizard in the area for electricity not to work? If that was the case then why was Mrs. Figg's TV still playing a show about a purebred cat contest in the background?

Harry decided to give professor McGonagall the best puppy dog *cough* kitten eyes he could muster.

"Oh alright then," professor McGonagall waved her hand and Harry rushed out at her with the questions. Even Mrs. Figg was surprised.

"Calm down, and ask the questions one at a time, and I'll tell you anything else you need to know about the magical world." professor McGonagall had a stern face on but Harry could tell that it was probably for his own good that he listen to her.

When Harry finished asking his questions calmly he noticed that there seemed to be a few changes in emotion over professor McGonagall's face. After Harry was done explaining his side of things it was clear that professor McGonagall was just as confused as he was.

"So let me get this correct. You, Harry Potter, son of Lily and James Potter who were both in Gryffindor house can speak to snakes?" she asked steadying herself.

"Yes." Harry answered.

"And you're wondering why speaking to snakes is bad?" McGonagall wasn't sure she was hearing things right.

"Well, not bad exactly. It's just...just the way that Dumbledore was talking made it sound like everyone else thought it was bad and that I shouldn't talk about it. Actually, it was exactly what he said." Harry bowed his head down feeling embarassed.

"No, no, no, heavens no! Speaking to snakes isn't bad Harry. Although...it would be wise not to tell you're classmates Dumbledore is right about that. There are certainly preconceived notions about snakes and evil in the wizarding world. Did Dumbledore tell you about You Know Who and your parents?" McGonagall asked looking nervously at Mrs. Figg who winced at the mention.

"Voldemort?" Harry asked loudly. Mrs. Figg covered her ears, and McGonagall sighed. So Dumbledore knew the boy knew about Voldemort but hadn't thought to caution him using the name around others?

"Most people in the Wizarding world call him You Know Who or He Who Must Not Be Named." McGonagall warned Harry.

"Sorry, I guess I really don't know anything about the wizarding world." Harry admitted. Harry didn't like admitting that he didn't know things, he was used to being the smartest person at his school! Now here he was in a whole new world, and it seemed like he kept getting everything he was supposed to know _wrong._ It bothered him. Harry decided that he'd better make friends who knew the wizarding world really well.


End file.
